Investigation crash MH17, 17 July 2014 Donetsk

Introduction

The Dutch Safety Board is investigating the accident to flight MH17 which occurred at Thursday 17th of July 2014 in the region of Donetsk (Ukraine). The Dutch Safety Board will be doing all it can to provide a clear view of the cause of the accident.

The investigation is operated in accordance with the standards and recommanded practices in ICAO Annex 13. The state of of occurance (Ukraine) has delegated the investigation to the Dutch Safety Board. To this end agreements were set out in a Memorandum of Understanding between Ukraine and The Netherlands, and in an agreement between the Ukrainian National Bureau of Incidents and Accidents Investigation of Civil Aircraft (NBAAII) and the Dutch Safety Board. The Dutch Safety Board is leading the investigation and co-ordinating the international team of investigators.

In addition to the international accident investigation, the Dutch Safety Board is also conducting two other independent investigations: an investigation into the decision-making process with regard to flight routes and an investigation into the availability of passenger lists.

September 9, 2014
The Dutch Safety Board has issued the preliminary report on the investigation into the crash of MH17 on Tuesday September 9, 2014. The preliminary report presents factual information based on the sources available to the Dutch Safety Board.

In the months to come further investigation is needed before the final report can be written. The Dutch Safety Board expects to publish the final report within a year after the crash.

December 9, 2014
Recovery of the wreckage of flight MH17, commissioned by the Dutch Safety Board, began at the crash site on Sunday, November 16, 2014. The recovery was preceded by a long period of preparations. To enable the recovery of wreckage, the Dutch Safety Board agreed certain arrangements with the Ministry of Disaster Management with regard to handing over the wreckage and SES (the Ukraine State Emergency Service) assistance. These documents have now been published. The first document concerns therecovery of the wreckage. The second concerns the period subsequent to the recovery.

On December 9, 2014, two of the four convoys carrying wreckage have arrived at Gilze-Rijen air force base. The transport will be unloaded in accordance with a fixed procedure and will then be photographed, scanned and categorised. The investigation of the wreckage and preparation for the reconstruction effort will then commence.

October 13, 2015
On October 13 the final reports of the investigation into the crash of flight MH17 were published. In addition to the reports there is also a video about the investigation into the causes of the crash of flight MH17 on 17 July 2014 in the eastern part of Ukraine and the investigation into flying over conflict zones. The video was based on the investigation reports. You can find our YouTube-channel here.

February 25 2016
On 4 and 10 February 2016 Dutch Parliament has asked questions to the Dutch Safety Board. These questions relate to the investigations of the Board into the crash of flight MH17. The Dutch Safety Board has responded to these questions and also issued its response to a letter of the Russian Federation. You can find both responses below (questions are in Dutch).

Phases:

Publication

In 2018, the Dutch Safety Board will assess whether the follow-up of the recommendations to improve the management of risks associated with flying over conflict zones is adequate. In 2018, the International Civil Aviation Organization ICAO will complete the work programme, launched as a result of the MH17 investigation. The Board would like to obtain clarification sooner, but concludes that, based on official reactions to the MH17 report, the necessary international coordination takes time.

The Dutch Government has taken various actions as a result of the three recommendations in the MH17 Passenger information report to ensure that passenger information is made available more quickly and that next of kin are better informed. The Dutch Safety Board is positive about the efforts and proposals, however, it still has to be proven whether these will actually lead to specific improvements in practice. The Dutch Safety Board is of the opinion that the recommendations are being adequately followed up.

Following the reports on Monday, June 6th, 2016, on Buk missile parts found during the MH17 investigation, the Dutch Safety Board cares to explain that this does not involve recently found items. It concerns parts recovered during the Dutch Safety Board’s investigation into MH17.

Last week, a total of 428 surviving relatives of the victims of Flight MH17 took the opportunity to visit the reconstruction of the aircraft. Investigators were in attendance at the Gilze-Rijen air base to answer any questions they had. In addition to the surviving relatives, the reconstruction was attended by a delegation from the Dutch Lower House as well as representatives from around 50 embassies.

The crash of flight MH17 on 17 July 2014 was caused by the detonation of a 9N314M-type warhead launched from the eastern part of Ukraine using a Buk missile system. So says the investigation report published by the Dutch Safety Board today. Moreover, it is clear that Ukraine already had sufficient reason to close the airspace over the eastern part of Ukraine as a precaution before 17 July 2014. None of the parties involved recognised the risk posed to overflying civil aircraft by the armed conflict in the eastern part of Ukraine.